After the Battle of Bowang Slope, Liu Bei and Liu Biao grew distant. Xiangyang sent no more provisions, but fortunately Lan Tian had stockpiled plenty through farming at Deng Family Village.
After years of war in the north, large numbers of refugees had fled south. When they passed through Nanyang Commandery, many were taken in by Lan Tian.
As the population grew, Lan Tian built two new villages beside Deng Family Village to house the refugees, then had veteran farmers teach the newcomers how to reclaim the land.
In this era, being able to eat one's fill was an enormous blessing for refugees. They worked even harder than the tenant farmers who had already lived in Deng Family Village, and were more cooperative with Gao Shun's training.
For a time, Gao Shun even thought that the Tuntian Battalion he had trained might be able to fight on the battlefield.
When Liu Biao heard that Yuan Shao had died of grief and frustration, he was deeply saddened. For a time, he even shut his doors to visitors.
After Cao Cao gained the upper hand on the Hebei battlefield, voices in Jing Province's administration that favored Cao grew louder by the day.
After Attendant Official Han Song returned from Xudu, he spoke at length about Cao Cao's might and virtue. He advised Liu Biao to send one of his sons to Xudu as a hostage, which would ensure peace for Jing Province.
Liu Biao had three sons: his eldest, Liu Qi; his second, Liu Cong; and his third, Liu Xiu.
Liu Cong and Liu Xiu were still young, so Liu Qi was the only son Liu Biao could send as a hostage. How could Liu Biao agree to that? He suspected Han Song had secretly defected to Cao Cao and wanted to